Last time, we looked at how a simple concept of a godhead was already circulating in Jewish theological circles in the time leading up to Jesus’ ministry. We considered certain key texts that indicate more than one person acting as God.
This ‘second power’ was alluded to by various titles. The most prevalent were ‘The Name’, ‘The Angel of The Lord’ (the Angel of YHWH), and ‘The Presence of God’ (the ‘panim’).
The Angel of the Lord
References to both the Angel of The Lord and YHWH appear in the theophany at the burning bush, which set Moses on his journey of liberation:
Exodus 3:1-4 – “And Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock behind the mountain of God, Horeb. And appeared to him The Angel of YHWH who appeared to him in a flame of fire,from the midst of the bush. So he looked and behold the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed….So when YHWH saw that he (Moses) turned aside to look then called to him (Moses) God from the midst of the Bush.”
Again in Exodus, we see a clear reference from God to the Angel of YHWH, and God says that His Name is in the Angel of YHWH:
Exodus 23:20-21 - “Behold I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice, do not provoke Him for He will not pardon your transgressions, for My Name is in Him.”
The Name
Psalm 20:1 - “May YHWH answer you in the day of trouble, May the Name of The God of Jacob defend you.”
Psalm 20:7 - “These trust in chariots and these trust in horses but we trust in the Name of YHWH our God.”
Here in Psalm 20, we see a distinction between YHWH answering a call for help and the Name of The God of Jacob defending Israel as part of that answer. Whilst synthetic parallelism (a second statement that positively affirms the first statement) is very much a technique used in Psalms, verse 1 does not follow the rules of synthetic parallelism – the sentence structure clearly differentiates between the two actions. Then again in verse 7, the psalmist spells out that Israel’s trust is in the Name of YHWH, rather than in YHWH, another clear indication of a clear distinction between YHWH and the Name.
I suggest that it is relatively straightforward to see that the Hebrew Bible contains clear indications of a nascent ‘Godhead’.
2 Samuel 6:1-2 - “And gathered again David all the choice men of Israel, 30,000. And arose David and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the Ark of God who is called The Name. The Name of YHWH who is enthroned upon the Cherubim.”
Here in 2 Samuel we encounter the use of two distinct entities in connection with the Ark. We see the Ark of God who is called the Name and then we are told that YHWH dwells between the Cherubim. This particular example is made very difficult to understand in the English because the Bible interpreters invariably fudge their interpretation in order to force the narrative to make sense. However, a direct literal translation makes plain the allusion to two entities.
The Presence
Deuteronomy 4:37 - “And because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them to bring them out with His Presence, His Mighty power of Egypt.”
The use of Presence, or His Presence, is particularly interesting because we are categorically told in the Bible that God’s Holiness is so intense that we cannot stand, let alone walk with Him. In addition, the Bible tells us that God is Spirit, so how can a Spirit be visibly present and engage with humanity? Yet here we see God’s Presence accompanying the Israelites.
Exodus 33 explores a similar theme: “He (God) said ‘My Presence shall go with you.”’ (Exodus 33:14)
God, YHWH, advises Moses that ‘The Presence of the Lord’ will go with them. This is not an angel, but whatever the Presence of The Lord is, as YHWH – but yet not YHWH.
Claims of deity
Judges 2:1 - “And came up the Angel of YHWH from Gilgal to Bochim and said ‘I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your forefathers and I said I will never break my covenant with you.’”
Here we have the Angel of the Lord speaking and talking of ‘my covenant’. This does not appear to be a messenger.
Here we have the Angel of the Lord speaking and talking of ‘my covenant’. This does not appear to be a messenger. There is a degree of possessiveness in this. Furthermore, the Angel of the Lord goes on to say (paraphrased). ‘Look guys, I was with you for 40 years, you saw me day in and day out. Now you are in the land promised to you and you are chasing after other gods. I’m off.’
Genesis 31:11 - “And spoke to me The Angel of God in a dream “Jacob” and I said ‘here I am’ and He said ‘lift now your eyes and see that all the rams that leap on the streaked flocks are speckled and spotted for I have seen what Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel where you anointed the pillar and made unto me a vow.’”
This is arguably the most dramatic passage of this section because the Angel of God is indicating that it was He whom Jacob met at Bethel and He to whom Jacob made a vow, yet when Jacob made the vow it was as if it was to God Himself. A clear example of the Angel of God being as God, yet not God.
Genesis 48:15-16 - “And he blessed Joseph and said God whom walked before my fathers Abraham and Isaac, the God who has fed me all my life to this day. The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil bless the boys and let that blessing be in my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.”
What is quite remarkable here is that the Hebrew clearly indicates these are three descriptions of the same thing:.God; The God; and The Angel – the God who had fed Jacob all his life is one and the same as The Angel who redeemed Jacob from evil. This passage unequivocally aligns two distinct divine entities without any issue or problem.
Judges 6:11-12 & 14 and on - “And came The Angel of YHWH and sat beneath the terebinth tree that was in Ophrah which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. And appeared to him The Angel of YHWH, who said to him ‘YHWH is with you, you mighty man of valour’…...And turned to him YHWH and said ‘go in this might of yours and save Israel’”.
In the story of Gideon we have the Angel of YHWH starting the conversation by affirming Gideon, then YHWH continues the conversation taking Gideon into the details. It is almost as if Gideon’s intentions or faith level is ascertained before the real conversation starts.
It is almost as if Gideon’s intentions or faith level is ascertained before the real conversation starts.
I suggest that it is relatively straightforward to see that the Hebrew Bible contains clear indications of a nascent ‘Godhead’. ‘The Name’ is a way of referring to YHWH, as indeed Jews do today, yet the Bible tells us that ‘the Name’ is within the Angel of YHWH, which of course means that therefore the Angel of YHWH is YHWH in human form.
The Word
These are all powerful pointers to the idea of a Godhead within the Old Testament, but there are also other allusions to a second power which are found in the use of ‘The Word’.
Genesis 15:1 - “After these things there came ‘The Word of The Lord’ to Abram in a vision.”
It is very easy here to assume that it is simply God speaking to Abram. Yet this is described as being in a vision, therefore Abram saw, rather than just heard, the Word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 1:1,7,9 - “The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, the priest who was in the land of Anathoth in Benjamin, to whom came The Word of YHWH’…..But YHWH said to me, do not say ‘I am but a youth’ for to all who I send you to you shall go and all of whatever I command you, you will speak….YHWH reached out His hand and touched my mouth.”
The Word of YHWH comes to Jeremiah but it is YHWH who physically engages with him.
Throughout the Hebrew scriptures, we can see multiple examples of various appearances of God, using the titles the Name, the Word, the Presence, and the Angel of the Lord. These are frequently used when the passages indicate a visual or physical presence of God – and in light of the fact that they often appear alongside another reference to God – YHWH – suggest that even the Hebrew Scriptures point to a second person of the godhead.
Jesus is therefore shown throughout the Old Testament, and the early disciples could understand His deity without having to reject their heritage.